HARROGATE Town boss John Reed has conceded that his side are now unlikely to win the Unibond League title after losing 2-1 at home to Premier Division top team Hucknall Town on Saturday.

Danny Bacon's second-half double-strike - the second a 25-yard thunderbolt - gave the visitors maximum points with Glenn Naylor's 18th goal of the season only proving a consolation.

Town's Simon Sturdy had earlier headed straight at Hucknall's goalkeeper from five yards to miss a great opportunity to give the home side a half-time lead.

The defeat left Harrogate 10 points adrift of the leaders in fourth place and Reed said afterwards: "I will hang on to the hope of winning the title until the grim death and when it is mathematically impossible but you have to be realistic and say they look to have a good chance of being good champions."

Harrogate's defeat came in front of their biggest crowd of the season (763) with supporters working hard for three-and-a-half hours to shift snow and ensure the game went ahead.

Selby Town have slipped five points behind Northern Counties East League leaders Brigg after being held to a 3-3 home draw by Thackley.

Russ Barley and Steve Ward twice gave third-placed Selby the lead in the first half only for the visitors to equalise twice and then take the lead before the break.

Ward netted on 49 minutes to earn a draw but afterwards boss Bob Lyons said: "We defended like schoolboys and did not perform well."

Neighbours Goole had done Selby a favour by beating second-placed Ossett Albion 3-0 thanks to Mark Willoughby, Mike McKenzie and Adam Wash goals.

McKenzie has been released by York City in the third year of his apprentice contract.

The NCE games involving Oickering Town and Tadcaster Albion were postponed.

Updated: 10:56 Monday, March 01, 2004